Blank Pages
by Ennuibo
Summary: Blank Pages will be filled in time.


Chapter One

"December"

So it's official. My father's words never hit harder than what I heard last night.

'Look… I know this is hard, but me and your mother think it's for the best that you move out and live with your uncle for a while.' My Father's hands gripped tightly around his glass of water, his eyes never gazing away from me.

"But why? Why do I have to move for something that I didn't do?'

"It's either this, or you serve a few years in juvie.", My mother chimed in, she was hiding behind a handkerchief that she was clearing her eyes with.

Juvie? I had spent a night in the local holding cell for slamming another student into a locker. They acted like it was a threatening message to me, it was far from threatening.

"This is a fuckin' joke right?" My voice rung out over the ambient noise of the heater in the corner of the room, "You're really going to send your child overseas over a fight?'

"It was one or the other, we don't want to see you in jail. We hope you'll eventually understand this choice."

"I don't want to do this, I would rather rot in a cell then leave."

"We will not let you rot. You WILL go to live with your Uncle, whether you like it or not."

And so it happened. Within the next week, I was on a plane bound for Kyoto. I got into a fight with a few people and we ended up breaking a few things in a restaurant and It was my third offense in less than six months and they gave us the offer of sending me overseas for some "rehabilitation" crap. It was a huge excuse for my parents to offload me from their list of things to ditch. I'd give them a pat on the back if I could, but if they knew I was grateful, they would take everything back and throw me into Juvie… again.

It took 17 hours for our plane to arrive at Osaka International Airport. I had to navigate It was hell. That long on an enclosed object with strangers rapid-firing off words in a language that you barely understand in the first place. As someone from a Japanese heritage, the language is an absolute blur for me. My grandparents are the last ones in my family who speak it proper, my Mother and Father never bothered with showing me the basics since I was raised with English as my first language. The instructions my parents gave me as to navigate had translated signs to point the way for me. I don't understand why they couldn't just have arranged for my uncle to pick me up, it would have my my life a hell of a lot easier. I somehow managed to get myself onto a train towards Kyoto. After the Haruka Express to Kyoto, I managed to get my bearings to find myself at Shichihonmatsu Dori , A street in the heart of Kyoto, and headed to a place called The Heart and Soul, a small pub like structure that was squashed beneath a small two floor apartment, and an empty courtyard like house was to the right of it.

I rolled my bags up to the doorI slid the large door open and a musty, damp, but sweet-smelling aroma hit me in the face. A loud booming voice rung through the small bar " _Yōkoso! Zaseki o go yōi kudasai!"_

I closed the door behind me, and the voice rung out again

" _Sate. Saishūtekini arawareru koto o kimeta hito ni mieru!_ "

I recognized the tone of voice instantly. I looked to the bar, and the man behind it begun to laugh. Rolling my two bags to the counter, he gave me a firm handshake and spoke in near perfect English.

"Good! You made it! Welcome to Kyoto. I'm sorry we couldn't arrange to have you picked up at the airport, there was no way for me to have anyone watch this place while I was gonna. Leave your bags there, I'll bring them up in a moment"

I nodded quietly. The bar goers resumed. I didn't want to cross and bump heads with my uncle; he's the main reason why I was aggressive in the first place. A large built man he was, my dad use to tell me all the time that he was formerly "Yakuza", which was the underground mafia of Japan. But it didn't take much to realize my uncle was just a normal man who just loved working out. He didn't have any scars, tattoos, or anything worth noting that he could be Yakuza. He was in his late 50s, a light hint of after shadow was on his face, he always had a pack of cigars or cigarettes in his top pocket, and his hair was only starting to grey now. He pointed me to a stairway to the left of the bar, and I walked up the stairs quickly. It lead me to a doorway. I opened the door and I found a small apartment that sat above the bar; it was very modest. I walked around the apartment quickly and saw there was only one bedroom, and clearly it was for my uncle. Where would I sleep? I looked around for a clock and saw the time was around 1:30 AM; the night sky was darkening the room minus a single lamp in the corner of the room on an end table, There was a bookshelf filled to the brim with large spined books that looked like encyclopedias.

My uncle and I sat on the balcony above the bar. It was the dead of night, but everything around us was still full of life. He was smoking a Lucky Strike cigarette, avoiding my face when he blew smoke into the air. "Your parents arranged for you to continue school here." He flicked his ashes over the balcony, spreading into the night sky. "Everything is taken care of. I had a friend fill out all the paperwork and for the time being you're on an exchange student program."

I looked at him puzzlingly, and he leaned forward and said to me sternly, "I'll be blunt with you. Your mother told me what happened. While I don't condone violence, I am ashamed that you let it get the best of you. I don't expect anything to come from this, but at least try to keep yourself out of trouble, alright?"

The glaring look he gave after this sent a shiver into the heart of my body, I never wanted to cross my Uncle, but I knew he was working under the orders of my parents. I sighed and laid back against the wall, looking up at the skyline. Lights. Bright lights that could blind you if you looked for too long. I got lost in them as the conversation stalled to the point where we both just sat in silence, embracing the cool air on that late autumn night. It wasn't too long after that when he excused himself from the balcony and went off to bed. I leaned over the balcony and looked at the bright skyline of Kyoto. It seemed as if life never slept in this city, there was always something going on, people out and about, lighting blinking everywhere. I didn't want to be here, but we all have to suffer for a period of time in life, even if some people would die for a spot to be where I am. I pulled out my old cellphone and looked at the time, it was still reading the incorrect time from where I once came, and the signal was dead. I was alone, in this country where I could not understand a single word anyone was saying.

I eventually left the balcony and went into the small, 18 foot wide closet that I would call my room for the next few months. The bed wasn't too comfortable, but it was better than sleeping in a jail cell.

Waking up was the easy part, but i just wanted to go back to sleep. But I knew I had to go out and about to get acclimated with this new world.

My uncle was waiting for me in the bar when I walked down stairs. The bar was completely empty compared to last night. The musty smell was gone, and all I could smell was a bit of fresh air coming from the window.

"Morning," he said to me as I yawned and collapsed onto the bar counter.

"I don't think I've missed sleep this much since I was a child."

"Enjoy it while you have it, we don't call this area sleepless for a reason. I'm gonna show you around today, so hopefully I can show you the school you'll be at. So, could you maybe get a little spruced up for it?"

He referenced my scruffy hair and utter disregard for coordinated dress. I should have take the time to look a bit more… proper.

"I think I look fine. We won't be going anywhere where people will judge me right?"

"You can dress as you like," he said, laughing to himself while he opened the front door to the bar. "But don't be surprised if people talk about you behind your back about what you're wearing. Not that fashion is a big deal here, but you stick out like a sore thumb." I sighed. A lecture was the last thing I needed. I gave my hair a quick fluff and tried to put a smile on.

Kyoto is calming to say the least. The neighborhood is actually quiet compared to my hometown, my only complaints are how small the streets are and how many vending machines line the corners. My uncle explained that the school was about 30 minutes by walk: Katsura High School. It looked like a decent place, but I couldn't judge it from just looks alone.

He also took the time to show me the local train station in Kyoto; it'd be my main means of transportation for the time being. "The Train doesn't run you by the school directly, but it's a shorter trip than walking. It'll be your choice on how you get there."

After being shown around, my uncle brought me back to the bar.

"So… go explore or something. You know how to at least read a map right?"

I gave him a look, and he laughed.

"Oh I'm just joking with you. Enjoy the rest of the day."

Enjoy the rest of the day? What can I do? I don't know anyone around here and I sure as hell don't know where anything is except school, a few stores, and the train station.

I found myself wandering around aimlessly for a few hours, passing by a few shops that didn't catch my eye at first hand, although I did try to buy a pack of cigarettes (to no avail obviously) After a little more walking, I came across a large mall complex that was very busy, so i headed inside to see what was around the shopping center.

" _Irasshaimase_!"

Everything was so vivid. Signs that i could barely read mixed with Latin letters and numbers spelling out the prices of objects. I was enticed with curiosity to go through each store to see what was inside of it. But every time i approached a shop, i got nervous about not knowing anything about proper shopping etiquette in Japan. So i idled outside of the stores, gazing through the large windows that were decorated with sale signs 本日のみ！ 400円のために10巻き寿司 (10 Sushi Rolls for 400 Yen! Today only!) Lights flashing around these signs were to point out that this was the "hot deal" of the day, or the week.

" _Oi! Anata wa nani shite iru!_ "

I turned around to see a few kids, high school aged, glaring at me from another store. One approached me, looking at my figure and how I was dressed.

" _Min'na, soreha-betsu no amerika-hitodesu. Karera wa kite teishi suru koto wa arimasen_."

I knew upon hearing 'amerika' that they were speaking about me being an outsider, not one of them. I stood there silently as they talked among themselves, laughing between hand blocked mouths.

Trying so hard to keep a blank composure, I spoke in the frailest voice I had ever heard come from my mouth, but the sounds were struggling to form actual words, something along the lines of "Please leave me alone."

The tallest boy of the group stood forward, the top of my head only came up to his shoulders

"Why did you come to Japan?"

Engrish. Great. I spoke slowly in the clearest voice I could muster.

"My family sent me.."

"They got rid of you? How pathetic you must be!"

"Look just please let me be." I said quickly as i tried to pass by him, but the group blocked my exit. This wasn't going the way I wanted it to. Why now? Is this what I really have to put up with for the rest of existence?

I should have stayed in bed.

A boy a nudge shorter than the taller boy said aloud, " _Kanojo no doresu wa, this sentence sucks a lot dude hidoidesu._ " The group started laughing again. I couldn't understand what they were saying. I felt myself shaking, their laughs only growing louder as they went on. Wishing to be home. Home flashed in my head. This was not my home. The tallest boy reached his arm outwards towards my shoulder as if he was going to place his hand on me.

" _Min'na! Hitori de kanojo o nokosu!_ "

A girl's voice rang out above the laughing, they all stopped and turned to a dark haired girl who was standing behind them and a boy beside her. The group dispersed and scattered, except for those two. He muttered something to the girl, spat at her feet, and walked away. The girl came forward and bowed before me.

"I'm so very sorry about them. Please don't take what they said to heart." she spoke in near perfect English, a slight accent on a word or two, but English.

I brushed my arm and said "Thank you. I couldn't understand what they were saying.." The girl tilted her head and gave me a puzzled look. "I'm not from here. My parents sent me over here to live with my uncle."

"That explains the lack of an accent in your English. But please, don't mind them. They just act tough around each other so they can feel better about themselves. My name is Haruka." She bowed once more and smiled as her head rose up.

"Avis." I said quietly.

"Well Avis. Welcome to Kyoto."

The sun was setting.

A few hours after our meeting, we all parted ways, diverging some contact information (I had given them the address and phone number to the bar. I also gave them my cellphone number, which probably wouldn't work anyway) and I walked myself back to the bar. I didn't look around me this time, I kept my head down and kept walking. Everyone around me seemed so occupied with what they were set on doing, so why did that group take the time out to torture me?

I reached the bar as the sun had just disappeared over the horizon. It was busy, filled with people I had seen the night before. My uncle invited me to sit at the bar and he introduced me to a few of his friends. Older men, who looked like they had seen their fair share of life and could just quit at any moment. My uncle tried his best to translate what they were saying, but he knew I didn't have an interest in it.

The time passed, people came in and out of the bar. I watched silently from the side of the bar counter and just minded my own business. I was tired. More than tired. I was exhausted. I still didn't want to be here, I had zero interest in Japan. Why couldn't they have put me in placement or through therapy?

It was around 1 am before I crashed. The futon he had provided me was decently comfortable after sleeping on it for a second time, I just wished it had been a little cooler in my room.

I woke up to the sound of my uncle's laughing come from the room outside of mine. He was speaking to someone. No. He was talking on the phone. He shot off a couple of things and said goodbye.

Quietly, rolling out of my room and acting like I had not heard him on the phone, strolled into the room and yawned to myself. "Good morning" I said to him.

"It's about time you woke up. That was your friend Haruka. Did you have an incident at the mall? She was mentioning something abou-"

" It was nothing, don't worry about it. And what did she want?"

"She's waiting outside, she wants to show you around more."


End file.
